Page 178 of A Touch of Chaos

“It’s me, for fuck’s sake! I am trying tohelpyou!” It was hard to hear over the noise of the storm.

“How can I trust you?” she asked.

It was the first time she had spoken, and her voice was just as beautiful as her ethereal face. It had a sensual, silky quality to it—like that of a siren.

“I don’t expect you to,” Dionysus said. “But if I leave you out here alone, you will find yourself back in Poseidon’s hands.”

At the mention of the god, her face changed, and fear flooded her strange eyes.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Land,” said Dionysus. “And after that, we’ll figure something out.”

She was quiet, studying him—like they weren’t floating in the middle of the Aegean Sea.

“Fine,” she said.

“Yeah?” Dionysus asked. “You won’t punch me again if I turn into a shark?”

“I think that’s up to you,” she said. “Don’t do anything that will make me want to punch you.”

“Let’s hope swimming doesn’t set you off,” he said as he transformed again.

Medusa held on to him as he swam.

As it turned out, the pirates weren’t wrong about how close they were to land. If Dionysus had not begun his attack when he did, they would have likely crashed within the hour. As he and Medusa made their way onto the sandy shore, he only wished he knew exactly where that was.

Dionysus squeezed the water from his braids.

“How did you know about Poseidon?” Medusa asked.

“He told me,” Dionysus said.

Medusa’s eyes widened, and she took a step back, immediately defensive. Dionysus realized that his comment made it seem like he was Poseidon’s buddy.

“Not in a friend way!” Dionysus said quickly. “He told me in an enemy way!”

Medusa’s brows lowered. “But you talk to Poseidon?”

“Because I was looking for you!”

“Why were you looking for me?”

“There is a bounty on your head.”

She took another step back, her fist tightening.

“But that isn’t whyI’mlooking for you,” Dionysus said quickly. “You’re not worth anything to me.”

Medusa’s fists faltered.

“That is to say I’m not interested in the money,” he said. “I’m interested in your safety.”

“You are really bad at this,” said Medusa.

“Really fucking bad,” said Dionysus. “I’m a little nervous you are going to punch me again.”

“It isn’t like it hurts,” she said. “Aren’t you a god?”

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